Beijing, 14 October 2026 – Visa has received approval to prepare a domestic bank card-clearing business in China, a long-awaited step that could give the US payments group direct access to one of the world’s largest consumer transaction markets. The authorisation begins a preparatory phase rather than granting immediate permission to operate.
Chinese authorities have given Visa one year to complete the required groundwork. The company can then apply to commence domestic clearing operations. That distinction is important for investors: the decision reduces one regulatory barrier, but commercial activity still depends on satisfying technical, capital, governance and compliance requirements during the preparation period.
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